Me along with another few guys have been trying to get a mutual friend into mountain biking for almost a year now. He has been renting bikes but very recently started shopping for Specialized Enduro,Stumpjumper or Pitch since that is basically what the bike shop has been renting him. I told him to stick with what he knows and what he likes but he got impatient after a few failed attempts on ebay. Seems like it's actually kinda hard to find large frames which is what he required. You can buy mediums all day long. So we jumped into action and found three bikes for him to choose from that were available to buy last night. Some higher end 07 Jamis Dakar $1400, 07 Turner 5 Spot $1800, a 2005 Ellsworth ID $1700. My buddy talked him into the Ellsworth even though none of us have so much as thrown a leg over one. I think the mentality was that if you can get an Ellsworth than the choice is obvious. So he bid and won it .

Questions are:

1) What is the reputation of this frame? I plan to read reviews but would also like some input from the guys who ride Ells.

2) What is the intended purpose of this rig.... XC, All Mountain or little bit of both?

3) Ok to do some little drops with it like the three small ones at the Vortex along with the one mild larger one on the side opposite the gnarly stuff? (It has a Fox Float air shock not coil over)

4) Is a newbie gonna even notice the "Ellsworth Experience"? I really don't want to hear "I liked the Specialized a little better".

4) Newbie hitting the aforementioned drops may become an ex-Mutual friend. Never ridden an Ellsworth, but I intend on owning one. Every bike rides different. I prefer the suspension design as it is similar to a Kona's.

5) I am not a smart*.

« Last Edit: May 11, 2009, 08:52:27 AM by KRUNNCHERO »

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No pun intended right? Poor sap got the shirt pulled over his head. I am posting and not hijacking moderators, see my post above as I answered all of his questions. Please don't delete me.

« Last Edit: May 11, 2009, 08:56:44 AM by KRUNNCHERO »

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the ID is a good all mountain rig. One of my riding buddies rode one for a while and liked it alot. the only issue he had with it was the bb being a little high for serious xc racing so he traded it out for a truth. He always said it was the shizzle on the mountain downhills. It will take most anything he can throw at it.

the ID is a good all mountain rig. One of my riding buddies rode one for a while and liked it alot. the only issue he had with it was the bb being a little high for serious xc racing so he traded it out for a truth. He always said it was the shizzle on the mountain downhills. It will take most anything he can throw at it.

This guy has not interest in racing and his intent was to get a all mountian rig so sounds like things are all good.

Large frame? I was in there the other day and didn't see anything that met his requirements as far as size and price. Would have loved to help support Aj's. Looks like that place will be a mega store after the expansion work is complete.

Yeah, I enjoy doing business with them. Rachel and I have probably funded a good chunck of the expansion . I'm not sure on the size. I wasn't in the market for an all mountain but it caught my eye in passing.

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"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents" H.P. Lovecraft

I've had two Truths, one Id ( for 5 years) and now the Moment for the past three years.

If the ID has a Float on it ( 2" travel) Vs any of the longer shocks with 2.25" travel, the bottom bracket will be a little lower and handling will be a little more stable in slow speed tech trails and more stable on faster downhills. With the standard longer shock, steep down hills are more difficult.

Keep in mind, getting any kind of warranty help on a used EW frame will be very difficult ( Yes, like all brands, EW have been known to break, in cluding three of mine)

Having said that, EW bikes ride better than anything I have every tried and I've ridden just about everything I can.

The cheaper and safer thing to do is go buy a Specialized Pitch or a Giant Trance X. A little more weight won't kill him.

I've had two Truths, one Id ( for 5 years) and now the Moment for the past three years.

If the ID has a Float on it ( 2" travel) Vs any of the longer shocks with 2.25" travel, the bottom bracket will be a little lower and handling will be a little more stable in slow speed tech trails and more stable on faster downhills. With the standard longer shock, steep down hills are more difficult.

Keep in mind, getting any kind of warranty help on a used EW frame will be very difficult ( Yes, like all brands, EW have been known to break, in cluding three of mine)

Having said that, EW bikes ride better than anything I have every tried and I've ridden just about everything I can.

The cheaper and safer thing to do is go buy a Specialized Pitch or a Giant Trance X. A little more weight won't kill him.

I agree that there is some risk involved with buying a used frame, especially one that would cost a ton to replace due to no warranty coverage. He just looked at it as getting one of the best bikes for the price of something less than top notch. He will ride once a month, twice if he is lucky so I'm thinking that the frame will last him a long time. He is not the stunt type either so even more reason to think it will last him.

The frame does in fact have the Fox Float on it but not sure on the shocks travel. I can't wait to give it a test ride and see what the big deal is about these frames. It's hard for me to imagine something better than Giant's "maestro".